Piedmont baseball edges LaGrange in nail-biter

DEMOREST -- The Piedmont College baseball team pulled out a nail-biting victory tonight with a 3-2 victory over LaGrange College. The Lions battled from behind as they did on Friday, and the win would seal the series in favor of the boys from Demorest with Piedmont edging out the Panthers two games to one. Will Skidmore built upon his two hit per game statline to provide the winning RBI in the bottom of the eighth. <br /> <br /> Skidmore led the Lions offensively throughout the series going 6-for-10 and providing the game winning RBI in Sunday's game that would put the Lions tied for second in the USA South Conference with the Greensboro Pride who are also 5-1.<br /> <br /> LaGrange struck first offensively picking up one run in the top half of the fourth. Bases loaded, one out, Piedmont starter Max Oberkofler fanned one batter before walking in the first run of the ball game. Oberkofler proved to have ice in his veins as he would strike out the following batter stranding three runners, which shifted the momentum in favor of the Lions. <br /> <br /> Oberkofler threw six strong innings in his second outing of the season as he picked up the no decision. He held the Panthers to four hits and one run, while striking out five.<br /> <br /> Piedmont picked up its first run of the ball game in the bottom of the sixth starting with Evan Gresham picking up a leadoff single. The Lions later found themselves in a bases loaded opportunity with no outs, and Michael Barnes up to bat.<br /> <br /> Barnes picked up his fourth RBI of the season on a fielder's choice that scored Gresham, and put runners on the corners with one out. However, LaGrange was able to get out of the inning preventing further damage, but the Lions had tied up the game 1-1 heading into the seventh.<br /> <br /> The battle was not over yet, as LaGrange would pick up another single run in the top of the eighth. Josh Thomas would allow his only hit of the night coming in to relieve Luke Macdonald, and give LaGrange a 2-1 lead. Thomas would shut the door in the eighth fanning one batter and grounding out two.<br /> <br /> The now or never moment had arrived for the Lions heading into the bottom of the eighth down by one and eager to tilt the scales in their favor. Daniel Lindsey led off the inning with a single, and advanced to second on a stolen base. Barnes proved clutch again with a single and advanced Lindsey to third.<br /> <br /> A pickoff attempt to third would slip away to the warning track allowing Lindsey to score and tying the game at 2 apiece. A costly error allowed Casey Parham to get his chance on the base paths. Parham advanced into scoring postion on a Keith Grabowski fielder's choice.<br /> <br /> The hero of the night stepped up to the plate, as his last name, Skidmore, would echo through Demorest. With the team on the edge of the dugout and every fan on the edge of their seat, the stage was set.<br /> <br /> Skidmore laced a single up the middle as Parham would round third and narrowly beat the throw home as the crowd and bench for the Lions erupted in applause and celebration. The Lions had placed their third run on the board, and were three outs away from clinching their second conference series win.<br /> <br /> Thomas would ground out three consecutive Panthers and seal the win for the Lions. Thomas picked up his first win of the 2015 season with the bullpen of the Lions providing three innings of relief and giving up two hits and one run.<br /> <br /> The Lions improve to 5-1 on the season as well as 5-1 in USA South conference play. The Lions will play host to Covenant College in Loudermilk Stadium with the series starting Friday at 7 p.m., and finished with a double header on Saturday with the first game starting at 1 p.m.

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